#IamBrandBihar: Breaking Bihari stereotypes , they are rocking and viral on social media

#IamBrandBihar: Breaking Bihari stereotypes , they are rocking and viral on social media.

When Udta Punjab’s trailer was released a few months ago, Alia Bhat received a lot of open letters for portrayal of her character as an educated labourer from Bihar. Thanks to stereotyping! In India, people from most states are stereotyped, be it Bengali, Punjabi, Maharashtrian, Delhites or Mumbaikars. Unfortunate as it is, they are characterised by the state they come from. But when Biharis are stereotyped, the characteristics are often derogatory and this is what a social media campaign titled “I am Brand Bihar” started by Patna Beats, a website working to promote Bihar, wants to change. They took to Facebook to share pictures of people from different professions who are defining “Brand Bihar”. Anand Kumar Teacher (Founder at Super 30) (Source: Facebook/Patna Beats)
Anand Kumar ,Teacher (Founder at Super 30) (Source: Facebook/Patna Beats)

“To most Indians, ‘Bihari’ is a derogatory word (people who behave in an ill mannered way), which is the antonym of the word that denotes pride,” they write in a viral Facebook post. Pawan Toon Cartoonist (Source: Facebook/Patna Beats)

They also point out how people are awestruck if a person from Bihari can speak fluent English. “A well dressed and well versed Bihari is still a matter of awe for many. ‘Oh, are you from Bihar? ‘You don’t look like one or you don’t speak like one’! ‘How come your English is so good?’ Now what is that supposed to mean? Are we supposed to look different from others just because we are from Bihar? Should people from Bihar be born with special and different traits or something else so that you can spot us from a distance?” they ask. Rajiv Hawker (Source: Facebook/Patna Beats)

In their post, they also ask what do people mean by Bihari? A person who is from Bihar or someone who is “uncivilized, unhygienic, stupid, conservative, deficient in English, has a weird funny accent and spews curse words?” Vikas Vaibhav IPS Officer (Source: Facebook/Patna Beats)

“We have to show the world that we find pride in being called Bihari. We have to accept the fact that our roots are embedded strongly in the soils of Bihar. Celebrate being a Bihari and keep this identity as your prized possession,” they say. Naresh Rai Rickshaw Puller (Source: Facebook/Patna Beats)